Adjustable door frame



Sept 16, 1930. l H. R. GRABLE 4.1,775,720

ADJUSTABLE DOOR FRAME Filed April 2, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 v gravante@ rable M atonuq j I a@ y Sept. 16, 1930. H. R. GRABLE ADJUSTABLE DOOR FRAME Filed April 2, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 nuizntoz Huy @fable Sept. 16, 1930. H R, GRABLE Y 1,775,720

ADJUSTABLE DOOR FRAME Filed April P, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 25a.- 255x" 25a C) *JI Hug/IZ hib/e Patented. Sept. 16, 11930 HUGH E. GRABLE, An,.'rusfrnBtnY Application filed April 2,

The invention relates to metal door frames for elevator doors and other door openings in a building and more particularly to a frame I of this general' character which may be adg justed to compensatefor i'fariationsorV dislc repanciesin the thickness and alinement of the wall surrounding the elevator shaft or other door opening. Y

VIn the building of apartment houses and l1,10 the like `of inexpensive construction, it fre-' quentlyhappens, owing to the unskilledlabor employed and the lack of care in the work,

that the walls plumb.

Where such la condition exists in the walls of an elevator shaft or elsewhere in the building considerableV difliculty Ais experienced in installing the door frames to the elevator entrances upon the several iioorsorfor the `door v openings, elsewhere in the building.

. It is obvious that especially in the construction of elevator shafts, all of the door frames upon the various floors lmust be vertically alined upon theshaft side so that the elevator car will have just the proper clearance at each doorway'and no more.,l y g f In using the type of door frame-now in common use in a casewhere the walls of the elevator shaft are not exactly plumb, it will be seen that when the door' frames are all erected and properly alined vertically upon the shaftside, a-g'reatmany ofthese door` frames will notr properly fit withlthew'all upon the corridorsidathus causing considerable difficulty in the erection `and installation of the door frames, and finishing of the wall around the same and producing' an unsightly appearance. f Y 'i The object of the present improvement is to provide an adjustable metal Vdoor frame especially adapted for use in elevator doorways, where the walls of the shaft are not plumb, or for use in doorways elsewhere in the building where there' are variations in the thickness of the walls, the improved door frame being arranged so thatit may be easilyand readily alined vertically with all of lthe other Vdoor frames on the shaft side, after which the corridor side of the frame may be adjusted to properly fit the wallythusoverof the building areY out of i PATENT oFF-rcs or onirrori, oHIo I i noon FRAME 1929. semi No. 351,923.,v

coming the: difficulties and objections above referred to.

An embodiment of the invention thus set forth in general terms is illustratedin the accompanying drawings, in which l Figure 1 is an-elevation of the improveddoor frame mounted in anelevator doorway and showing a door hung therein; n Fig. 2, a plan sectional view of the same;

Fig. 3, an enlarged vertical sectional view of the lower portion of the improved door fra-meas on the line 23e-3, Figs. '4 and 5; i

Fig. 4, a plan sectionl taken substantially on the line lr-#1, Fig. 3; e

Fig. 5, a similar section' ason the line 5 5, Fig. 3;

Fig. 6, a section similarto Fig.` 5, showing a modified form of adjusting means;`

VVFig. 7, a similar view showing a further modilication of theadjusting means; and i Fig. 8, a still further modiication. i

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

Y The improved door frame comprises independent `frame members, .oney on shaft side Vand the 4other on the corridor side with` means for adjustably4 securing the frame members togetherinthe desired position. v y y Referring more particularly two to the'Y form vthe of theinvention illustrated in Figs, 1 to 5 inclusive, the `frame includes; the two independent, relatively adjustable frame memb ers 10 and 11 upon the shaft and corridor sides, respectively.

The frame member 10 may be spot welded y or otherwise connected to the buck 12 and has formed integrally thereon thedoor amb portion 13 terminating in the backwardly disposed vertical flange 14, parallel withl and slightly spaced fromk the flange 15. of the buck, the outer edge of which may be outturned as at 16 for a purpose to be later described.

An angle member 17 may be spotwelded 'or otherwise connected to the lower portion of the frame member 104 and rigidly attached V -to the sill 18 as by the cap screw 19, the frame member 10 being vthus located substantially flush with the shaft side of the sill.

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The frame member 11 includes the casing flange 20 and the molding` or trim portion 21 which is located upon the corridor side of the frame. The flange 20 is adapted to be slidably entered between the flange 15 of the buck and the flange 1l of' the jamb, the outturned edge 16 of the buck flange permitting the same to be easily entered.

For the purpose of adj ustably securing the frame members 10 and 11 together in any desired position, a plurality of pairs of relatively adjustable ticbars 22 and 23 are pro vided.

Each of the bars 22 may be pro fided with y the downturned outer end 2li adapted to be received within the keeper 25 formed upon the buck or otherwise rigidly attached.

The bar 23 is similarly provided atits outer end with a downturned flange 2G which may be spot welded or otherwise rigidly connected to the inner side of the frame membe 11. rlhese bars are provided with the elon# gated slots 27 to receive the bolts 2S andpermit of the bars being adjusted with relation to each other and then rigidly held in the adjusted position.

The inner ends of the bars 22 and 23 are upturned and downturned respectively forming angular flanges, as shown at 29 and 30, and each bar may be provided with apertures 31 to permit cement or the like to enter the same and permanently hold the bars against n'ioven'ient after the wall is completed around the frame, thus permanently holding both members of the frame in the adjusted position.

For the purpose of adjustably connecting the frame member 11 to the sill.. and angle member 32 may be spot welded or otherwise connected to the lower end portionof the flange 20 and provided with an elongated slot 33 to receive a cap screw 34C whereby when the frame 11 is properly adjusted with reference to the frame 12 the cap screw 34 may be tightened, forming a rigid connection between the frame 11 and the sill.

In building the walls of an elevator shaft, the walls as indicated at 35, in Fig. 2, are completed only to about the point shown at 36, leaving a considerable space around the door opening.

The improved door frames are then installed within these door openings, the shaft side member 10 of each frame being vertically alined with the members 10 of all of the other door frames on the floors above and below.

The corridoi' side member 11 is then properly adjusted, in the manner above described, to compensate for any discrepancy in the wz lls, and fastened in the adjusted position.

Cement or the like as shown at 37 is then filled in entirely around the door frame and within the opening 36, the cement passing through the apertures 3l in the adjusting bars and engaging around the bolts and nuts therein and the flanges 29 and 30 thereof, vhcreby when the cement hardens, the two frame members 10 and 11 are rigidly and permanently held in the adjusted position.

rlhus, regardless of any discrepancy or variation in the alinement or thickness of the wall, the improved door frame may be easily and readily installed and adjusted so that the shaft side of the frame is accurately alined with all of the other frames in the shaft, while the corridor side thereof may be adjusted to properly fit the wall and overcome the objections and difficulties present in the frames now in common use, as above referred to.

Slight modifications of the invention are illustrated in Figs. G to 8 inclusive which, while differing in minor details of construction, embody the same adjustable principle illustrated and described `as to Figs. l to inclusive.

In Fig. 6, the shaft side member `has the j amb portion 13a formed thereon and an offset portion 38 terminating in the backturned flange 14a. An angle iron 39 may be spot welded or otherwise attached to the inside of the j amb portion.

The corridor side member 11a may be provided with the casing flange l adapted to be connected to the angle iron 39 as by screws 40 and also includes the molding portion 21,

The adjusting bars 22a and 23a may be substantially the same as above described and connected to the frame members l0a and 11a respectively as by the keepers 25a or other suitable means.

Otherwise the frame may be the same as that shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive and arranged to be connected to the sill 18a in the manner above described. l/Vhen the two frame members are properly adjusted, holes may be drilled in the flange 20a at the proper point to receive the screws 40 so that this flange may be connected to the angle iron 39.

In Fig. 7 the frame member 10b has the jamb portion 13b formed integrally therewith and this jamb portionV has the channel portion 41 formed thereon to receive the edge portion of the casing flange 20b formed upon the frame member 1lb which may also be provided with the molding 21h. Otherwise the frame may be as above described, the adjustment being produced by means of the bars 22b and 23h.

When the proper adjustment is arrived at, the flange 2Ob is cut off to the proper width and inserted into the channel 41 and the parts tightened in adjusted position, as above described.

In Fig. 8 the frame member 10c may be provided with the jamb portion 13C and offset portion 38c terminating in the channel portion 41C. The frame member 11c may be to the sill in the same manner as shown and described regarding the form of the inventionV illustrated in Figs. l to 5 inclusive.

Although the improved adj ustable. door' frame is illustrated and described more particularly for use in elevator door openings, it should be understood that the same is .equally applicable to all kinds of door openings. The adj ustability of the door frame makes it easily and quickly adaptable to Walls of varying thickness, thus making it possible to 'accommodate one size offdoor frame towalls which may vary several inches -in thickness,

andl obviating the necessity of building a separate size of frame for each thickness of Wall.

I claim-z 1. A door frame for a dooropening in a Wall including a .pa-ir of frame members, means for adjusting the frame members relative to each other, means for locking the frame members in adjusted position, a sill, means for attaching one of Vthe frame members to one sideof the sill and means for adjustably attaching the other frame member to the other side of the sill.

2. A door frame for a door opening in a Wall including a pair of frame members, means for adjusting the frame "members relative to each other, means forslocking the frame members in adjusted position, `a sill, and means for adjustably attaching the frame members to the sill. Y

3. A doory frame for a door opening in a Wall including a pair of frame members, adjusting bars for adjusting the frame members relative to each other, means forlocking the bars in adjusted position, a sill, and means including angular flanges on the bars for attaching the frame members to the Sill.

4. A door frame for a dooropening in a Wall including a pair of frame members, adjusting bars for adjusting the frame members relative to each other, means for locking the bars in adj usted position, a sill, and means for adjustably attaching the frame members to the sill. y

5. A door frame for elevator openings including a shaft side frame member and a corridor side frame member, independently adjustable With relation to each other, a sill,

attaching the corridor side member tothe sill.

6. A door frame for elevator openings including a shaft side framermember and a corridor side frame member, independently adjustable with relation to each other, a sill,

means for attaching the shaft side member to the sill substantially flush With the adjacent vedge thereof, means for adjustably attaching thecorridor side member to the sill, adjusting bars carried by the frame members, and means for locking the bars together in adjusted position. n

7. A door frame for door openings in an elevator shaft including. a shaft side frame member and a corridor-side frame member independendtly adjustable with relation to each other, a sill, means for attaching the shaft side member to the sill in proper alignment With the shaft side members of other door frames in said elevator shaft, and means lfor adjustably attaching the corridor sidel frame member to the sill.

8. A door frame for door openings injan elevator shaft including a shaft side 'frame member and a corridor side frame member,

adjusting bars for adjusting the frame members-With relation to each other, a sill, means for attachingthe shaft side member to the sill in proper alignment with the shaft side members of other door frames in said elevator shaft, means for adjustably attaching hereunto subscribed my name.

HUGH R. GRABLE.

means for attaching the shaft side member 

